Backhoe assembly

ABSTRACT

A backhoe assembly for securement to a common road vehicle, such as a pickup truck. The backhoe assembly includes a horizontally extending rigid trailer hitch receiver insert for insertion and retention into the vehicle trailer hitch receiver and a rigid support column is provided having one end detachably secured to the vehicle rear bumper and the other end secured to the trailer hitch receiver insert. An articulatable backhoe arm is secured at its proximal end to the rigid support column for pivotal movement of the backhoe arm in vertical and horizontal directions. A drive is connected to the backhoe arm for articulating the backhoe arm whereby the work loads applied by the backhoe arm to the vehicle are equally born or supported by the vehicle trailer hitch receiver and the rear bumper.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/283,629, filed Sep. 15, 2008, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/880,019, filed Jul. 19, 2007, which claims the benefit of the following US Provisional Patent Applications, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference:

Application No. 60/922,723, filed Apr. 10, 2007; Application No. 60/931,859, filed May 26, 2007; and Application No. 60/933,009, filed Jun. 4, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a backhoe excavator, and more particularly to a lightweight backhoe assembly which may be utilized in conjunction with a conventional road vehicle, such as a pickup truck or a sport utility vehicle.

Small backhoe excavators are extremely expensive (in excess of $20,000.00) as the backhoe assembly is used in combination with an expensive supporting vehicle, such as a tractor.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a lightweight backhoe assembly which can be safely and effectively used in combination with an everyday passenger vehicle, such as a pickup truck or a sport utility vehicle, and which installs in minutes without requiring any alterations to the vehicle structure, and further, will not interfere with the full use of the vehicle tailgate or rear doors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The backhoe assembly of the present invention is adapted for strong and safe securement to the rear of a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, which has a rear bumper and also a single rearwardly extending column providing a trailer hitch receiver on its distal end which is located on a longitudinal center line of the vehicle and is fixedly secured in a rigid non-hingable manner to a frame of the vehicle in a horizontal direction of extension under the bumper. Such trailer hitch receiver assemblies are commonly provided with pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles in the form of conventional Class III or Class IV trailer hitch receivers. The backhoe assembly of the present invention thus provides an inexpensive solution for the owner of such a vehicle to own and operate a backhoe excavator.

The backhoe assembly of the present invention includes a horizontally extending rigid trailer hitch receiver insert for insertion and retention in the vehicle trailer hitch receiver, together with a rigid support column having one end securable to the trailer hitch receiver insert and with the other end detachably securable to the vehicle rear bumper.

An articulatable backhoe arm, including an excavating bucket at its distal end, is secured at its proximal end to the rigid support column for pivotal movement of the backhoe arm in vertical and horizontal directions for conventional excavation use.

A drive, such as a hydraulic drive, is connected to the backhoe arm for articulating the backhoe arm in a conventional manner.

The hydraulic drive provides power to hydraulic control levers which may be mounted on top of the rigid support column and accessible by the operator from the truck bed of the vehicle which is located above the rear bumper at the rear of the vehicle. For example, the hydraulic drive, consisting of an electrically or gasoline powered hydraulic pump along with a hydraulic reservoir tank, may be positioned in the truck or vehicle bed near the rear tailgate of the vehicle and the control levers secured to the upper end of the rigid support column whereby the operator may easily operate the backhoe by manipulating the control levers while seated on the hydraulic drive.

Alternatively, the control lever and/or the hydraulic drive may be remotely located and manipulated by the operator in close proximity to the vehicle.

It is preferable that a bracket assembly around the rigid support column be movable along the rigid support column to provide for adjustable securement in a vertical direction between the bumper and the receiver insert, and further, that the receiver insert is adjustably securable in a horizontal direction in the trailer hitch receiver. This permits easy adjustment of the backhoe assembly of the present invention for securement to vehicles having different dimensions with regard to the arrangement between the vehicle rear bumper and its trailer hitch receiver.

In a preferable embodiment, the rigid support column is pivotally secured to the trailer hitch receiver insert for movement from a vertical position to a horizontal one to allow unfettered access to the bed of the truck, and that the rigid support column includes a bumper engagement plate in the form of, or as part of, a horizontal elongated angle iron, that extends across the rear of the vehicle at a right angle to the support column. The bumper engagement angle iron plate is provided with pins extending downwardly on the bottom side of the plate for engaging corresponding pin sockets drilled into an upper surface of the bumper. The plate is adjustably moveable vertically along the rigid support column for engagement and disengagement of the plate pins with the bumper. For example, the angle iron plate may be moved up and down with a screw drive to provide secure and positive adjustable movement. In this manner, the backhoe assembly with its stiff elongated angle iron plate secured to the bumper and additional support from the trailer hitch receiver may be rigidly and securely locked and clamped to the rear of the vehicle. In addition, the backhoe assembly of the present invention provides load carrying and excavating load burden capabilities which could not possibly be adequately born by either the vehicle trailer hitch assembly or the rear bumper of the vehicle alone. The load carrying capabilities for the backhoe assembly are thereby tremendously increased to permit the operation of a backhoe from the rear of the conventional passenger vehicle without cause for concern that the workloads will damage the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims. The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification, without limiting the scope of the invention or appended claims, certain practical embodiments of the present invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view in side elevation of a backhoe assembly of the present invention secured to the rear of a pickup truck, illustrating the articulatable backhoe arm in different positions of extension and operation;

FIG. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the backhoe assembly shown in FIG. 1 with the backhoe arm pivoted and retained securely adjacent the tailgate of the vehicle for on road transportation;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the backhoe assembly secured to the vehicle as shown in FIG. 2 with the backhoe arm fully extended to the right side with the excavation bucket tip engaging the ground surface;

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the backhoe assembly of FIG. 1 with the backhoe arm fully extended to the rear with the excavation bucket tip engaging the ground surface; and

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the backhoe assembly of the present invention illustrating the backhoe arm fully extended to the rear with the tip of the excavator bucket engaging the ground surface and with the rigid support column disengaged from the rear bumper of the vehicle and pivoted fully to the rear in preparation for attaching or removing the backhoe assembly of the present invention from the supporting vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The backhoe assembly 10 of the present invention is adapted for securement to a conventional motor vehicle, such as pickup truck 11, which is provided with a rear bumper 12 and a trailer hitch receiver 13, which in conventional fashion, is located on a longitudinal center line of the vehicle 11 and fixedly secured in a rigid non-hingable manner to the frame 19 of the vehicle and extends rearwardly in a horizontal direction of extension under the bumper.

The backhoe assembly 10, which may be readily attached to and removed from vehicle 11, is comprised of horizontally extending rigid trailer hitch receiver insert 14 which is inserted into trailer hitch receiver 13 and there retained in conventional fashion with a pin 15. Rigid support column 16 has one end 17 detachably secured to vehicle rear bumper 12, and its other end 18 secured to trailer hitch receiver insert 14. Articulatable backhoe arm 20 is a conventional preassembled backhoe arm which may be readily purchased and has a conventional excavating bucket at 21 at its distal end 22. The backhoe arm 20 is secured at its proximal end 23 to rigid support column 16 via bracket assembly 24 for pivotal movement of the backhoe arm 20 in vertical and horizontal directions.

Bracket assembly 24 provides vertical adjustment of backhoe assembly 10 by sliding up and down on rigid support column 16 as controlled by screw drive mechanism 40. Bracket assembly 24 permits backhoe arm 20 to swing horizontally via swivel 25 which pivots about retaining bolt 26. Backhoe arm 20 is permitted to pivot vertically about retaining bolt 27.

The backhoe arm 20 is hydraulically driven with a hydraulic drive 30 which includes a hydraulic pump 31, a hydraulic fluid reservoir 42, and a motor 43, shown in FIG. 5 resting on the tailgate 32 of vehicle 11. Hydraulic control levers 33 drive hydraulic pistons 34 a through 34 d which are assembled for articulating backhoe arm 20 and excavating bucket 21. As can be seen from the figures, the control levers 33 are mounted on rigid support column 16 and are readily accessible by an operator from the truck bed of pickup truck 11. In fact, hydraulic drive 30 is slid from the tailgate position shown in FIG. 5 into the bed of pickup truck 11 and used as a seat by the operator while manipulating control levers 33 from the rear of the vehicle.

Of course the controls 33 need not be fixed to the rigid support column 16, and may in fact be remotely located for use by the operator while standing in proximity to the vehicle 11.

The end 17 of rigid support column 16 is adjustably extendable in a vertical direction for adjustable securement between the vehicle rear bumper 12 and receiver insert 14. In a conventional manner insert 14 is also adjustably received in receiver 13 via a series of holes or apertures provided in insert 14 from which to choose for insertion of pin 15 so that rigid support column can be relatively vertical.

Rigid support column 16 is pivotally secured at pivot 35 to trailer hitch insert 14 for vertical pivotal movement from horizontal to vertical, along with or together with backhoe arm 20 for ease of installing and removing backhoe assembly 10 to or from vehicle 11.

Rigid support column 16 further includes a horizontal elongated bumper engagement angle iron plate 36 which extends across the rear of the vehicle 11 at a right angle from support column 16 to provide strong and rigid lateral as well as vertical support. Bumper engagement angle iron plate 36 is provided with pins 37 which extend downwardly on the bottom side of plate 36 for engaging corresponding pin sockets (not shown) drilled into the upper surface 38 of rear bumper 12. Plate 36 is adjustably moveable along support column 16 for engagement and disengagement of plate 36 with the upper surface 38 of bumper 12. Plate 36 is secured to support column 16 with a screw drive mechanism 40 which is operated by screw handle 41 to vertically move bumper engagement plate 36 for engagement or disengagement with bumper 12.

Accordingly, the backhoe assembly 10 may be readily secured to or removed from vehicle 11. For example, for securing the backhoe assembly 10 to vehicle 11, the entire assembly 10 as illustrated in FIG. 5 may be supported by a platform dolly (not shown) which has rolling engagement on the depicted ground surface. The assembly 10 is rolled up to the rear of truck 11 on the platform dolly and the receiver insert 14 is inserted into its receiver 13 and secured with pin 15.

Hydraulic drive 30 is then slid back into the truck bed and tailgate 32 is closed. Rigid support column 16 is raised from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 5 to a vertical or upright position as shown in FIG. 4 by pivoting the assembly about pivot 35. Hydraulic pressure line connectors 28 a and 28 b, along with hydraulic return line connectors 29 a and 29 b are then coupled to supply hydraulic power to backhoe assembly 10.

Once the assembly 10, or at least support column 16, is in a vertical position, screw handle 41 is manipulated to force upper engagement plate 36 downwardly until pins 37 are securely engaged within their respective sockets on the top surface 32 of bumper 12, and there is tight clamping engagement and securement thereby provided between bumper 12 and hitch receiver 13. Accordingly, the weight load and work loads of the backhoe assembly 10 are shared between the bumper 12 and the hitch receiver 13 thereby providing adequate work support for the backhoe assembly 10 in working conditions without worry of causing stress and damage to the vehicle 11. 

I claim:
 1. A backhoe assembly for securement to the rear of a vehicle having a rear bumper and a single rearwardly extending arm providing a trailer hitch receiver located on a longitudinal centerline of said vehicle and fixedly secured in a rigid non-hingable manner to a frame of the vehicle in a horizontal direction of extension under said bumper, said backhoe assembly comprising; a horizontally extending rigid trailer hitch receiver insert for insertion and retention in said vehicle trailer hitch receiver; a rigid support column having one end detachably securable to said vehicle rear bumper and another end thereof securable to said trailer hitch receiver insert; an articulatable backhoe arm including an excavating bucket at its distal end and secured at its proximal end to said rigid support column for pivotal movement of said backhoe arm in vertical and horizontal directions; and a drive connected to said backhoe arm for articulating said backhoe arm.
 2. The backhoe assembly of claim 1, wherein said drive is a hydraulic drive including controls which are mounted on said rigid support column and accessible by an operator from a truck bed located above said rear bumper at the rear of said vehicle.
 3. The backhoe assembly of claim 1, wherein said one end of said support column is adjustably extendable in a vertical direction for adjustable securement between said bumper and said receiver insert.
 4. The backhoe assembly of claim 3, wherein said receiver insert is adjustably securable in a horizontal direction in said hitch receiver.
 5. The backhoe assembly of claim 3, wherein said rigid support column is pivotally secured to said trailer hitch insert for vertical movement from horizontal to vertical, said rigid support column including a horizontal elongated bumper engagement angle iron plate extending across the rear of said vehicle at a right angle from said support column, said plate having pins extending downwardly on a bottom side of said angle iron plate for engaging corresponding pin sockets in an upper surface of said bumper, said angle iron plate adjustably movable along said support column for engagement and disengagement of said angle iron plate with said bumper.
 6. The backhoe assembly of claim 5, said plate secured to said support column with a screw drive to provide said adjustable movement. 